[Sandwich]

so since my car decided to play "turbo vs. hose" and turbo won, I couldn't get out for a ride today...instead, I stripped my sunday.

but after I got done, I saw this:

that's odd, doesn't look like paint. In fact, if you look close, you can see that the area is machine brushed over, and you can see where it's smooth in this photo:

then I see this:

same as this:

So now I'm wondering...wtf is that crap? I used paint stripper...it's probably not sticker residue or anything like that. Is it some kind of metal filler? It's on both sides of the headtube...did they just fill in the low spots and then sand down over it?

I don't really care, the frame is fine structurally but I couldn't figure it out. I was able to remove some from the gusset but I think I'm going to need some emery cloth/sandpaper to really get rid of it.

 

[blackohio]

Looks like someone sat too long in one spot on the polishing/cleaning wheel to me.

 

[LOOnatic]

Bondo

 

[dropmachine]

 

[eatmyshorts]

Its pretty much standard in a lot of frames (in both alloy and carbon) to be finished with filler...

If you stripped a brand new car you would find the same...

 

[Uncle Cliffy]

 

[Sandwich]

Its pretty much standard in a lot of frames (in both alloy and carbon) to be finished with filler...

If you stripped a brand new car you would find the same...

word, I didn't know that.

Should I bother trying to remove it, or is it likely better to leave it on? I don't care if my frame is smooth...just safe to ride.

 

[TheTruth]

word, I didn't know that.

Should I bother trying to remove it, or is it likely better to leave it on? I don't care if my frame is smooth...just safe to ride.

If it ain't broke then don't fix it.

 

[yuroshek]

If it ain't broke then don't fix it.

And if you dont have anything good to say dont say anything at all.

 

[eatmyshorts]

Its just cosmetic damage - caused by some point of the frame production..

Are you re painting or polishing?

Painting, just re bondo and sand (if you can feel it - you will see it)

If you are polishing you could lightly sand it out - dont sand away too much frame tho!

Worst case just put a sticker over it

 

[demo 9]

And if you dont have anything good to say dont say anything at all.

or quote it and do the same

 

[MinorThreat]

Worst case just put a sticker over it

Make sure it's a LBD for good measure.

 

[roel_koel]

Its pretty much standard in a lot of frames (in both alloy and carbon) to be finished with filler...

it was standard practise on a lot of the Iron Horse frames - as they were made in a factory with poor QC and required some "finishing" ready for the paintshop

some seasons back, there were guys stripping their Sundays to paint, then popped up on the forums asking about "bondo?"

we sell anodised and raw / clear coat frames (both US made and TW made) and and it would be very obvious if "bondo" had been used, so I would say its more standard practise for factories with poor QC than "standard" practise throughout the industry

 

[Sandwich]

Are you re painting or polishing?

Worst case just put a sticker over it

I was planning on repainting it, in which case I'll just leave it....but the rather nice feel and appearance of the stripped frame has me thinking "leave it"...plus it's cheap and lighter than repainting it, and it looks like this frame is staying with me for the duration, so no reason to care about what anybody else thinks.

it was standard practise on a lot of the Iron Horse frames - as they were made in a factory with poor QC and required some "finishing" ready for the paintshop

see, that's what has me confused. This is a World Cup frame, which I was under the impression was the same as the factory frame, which I was under the impression was welded/made in the US before being shipped out for assembly. If that's true, then it says something very wild about SAPA or Kinesis' production line.

 

[Jim Mac]

I like raw frames, personally - I'd say leave it!

 

[Udi]

08/09 WC are not sapa/kinesis, but 07 is, so depends on year, if that helps.

Are you sure it's not just from a previous owner? Between friends, I've seen 5 sunday frames (both us/factory and taiwanese) stripped and anodized, and none of them have had spots that looked like that.

That said, ironhorse make absolute rubbish frames as this guy points out, so maybe we just got lucky. Also probably just a coincidence that they have such a low rate of breakage compared to some of the better finished brands out there.

it was standard practise on a lot of the Iron Horse frames - as they were made in a factory with poor QC

 

[Sandwich]

Is the 08 WC the same as factory, or vise versa, was the factory frame made in taiwan? This is an 08. Where were the 08s made, just for reference?

I don't think it's PO's fault. This was one of the brothers trumpore's bikes, and paint looked factory and fine. No indication that they had ever messed with ANYTHING, and from my understanding they're very good with their parts/bikes.

were the frames you saw bead blasted in any way? Mine was just rattle bombed with paint stripper. I imagine some very light sanding will remove this stuff, same thought process as media stripping.

Funny you mention the "poor" quality of the frames...this thing is stiff as hell and three seasons old with nary a dent on it. I'm a little disappointed to find out it was taiwan made (if true), but it's also pretty much the cheapest WC level frame you can buy...and after hearing the price on the Zerode, I'll be on it till it breaks.

 

[Udi]

The 08 WC is a taiwanese frame, so not the same as factory.
That said, the disappointment is just your choice to make: in terms of build quality I couldn't really see any differences between them, and the weights were also almost identical. The only real benefit to the factory frame was if you got the black 08 one, because it was anodized from factory - if I had one to put on the wall that would be it.

And yeah - I'm the same deal as you, 3 seasons on the same frame, an overseas trip, plenty of crashes, gouged away a lot of the dropout/chainstay area from smashing it into rocks, 2 rounds of stripping and anodizing, and it still hasn't given up!

 

[Sandwich]

Ah, I just found it in the Sunday thread. Still 6069, but WC made in taiwan and Factory made in US....whatever.

Looks like it's time for some emery cloth. I'd really love to polish it, but man that's gonna be some work....

 

[Raingauge]

and after hearing the price on the Zerode, I'll be on it till it breaks.

Where did you find the price on the Zerode?

 

[Sandwich]

I axed!

 

[Raingauge]

I axed!

Axed where? Do they have a website now?

What price did you get quoted?

 

[stiksandstones]

Thats a blem...but in taiwan they call it 'we make special paint for him'

 

[xy9ine]

I axed!

speak man!

 

[IH8Rice]

same as this:

whats that crap in your headtube?

If you stripped a brand new car you would find the same...

not if it was made in the last 20+ years

 

[Jeremy R]

whats that crap in your headtube?

His warranty.

 

[DHPeteinSC]

I've stripped a few Horses and pretty much all of them had some sort of blemishes in the frame. Looks like they sanded them with a brick before it went to PC. Just use some 220-320 wet or dry sand paper to get the frame smooth. If you have it PC'ed you wont see any of that.

 

[bizutch]

whats that crap in your headtube?


not if it was made in the last 20+ years

JB Weld.

 

[Sandwich]

speak man!

hang on...

whats that crap in your headtube?

the crap is paint, either overspray from the actual process, poor facing, or residue from the e13 failducer cups. I did a sh.tty job of stripping it, then ran out of stripper. I have to get another tube, then I can finish it. I expect that to go away.

His warranty.

I don't get it? The warranty is as gone as most of the paint on my frame.

 

[Sandwich]

I've stripped a few Horses and pretty much all of them had some sort of blemishes in the frame. Looks like they sanded them with a brick before it went to PC. Just use some 220-320 wet or dry sand paper to get the frame smooth. If you have it PC'ed you wont see any of that.

do you mean a literal brick? Did you sand the headtube bondo-gusset? What was underneath, anything besides aluminum? I'd like to remove it to get the bike uniform, but I don't want to see some kind of secret lair of fail beneath it.

 

[Pegboy]

Ok, I have the same frame and am going throught the same process. I have added a small shallow dent in my top tube and am wondering what they/I (can) use to fill it prior to PC. I've heard that bondo will crack during the PC process?

I've heard JB Weld before; is that my best choice?

Sandwich, I think we are on the same wave length. I looked new frames/bikes and I just can see anything that will bring me a significant upgrade, that would be worth the price. soooo, new 40, new PC, send shock back to Push for tune up and maybe new wheelset to try and drop weight, but that is low on the list. I did put a new set of bearings in it this spring and I can tell you it made a big difference.

 

[descente]

i found a similar spot near where the down tube meets the bottom bracket on my 06 commencal supreme when i stripped it. i figured it was just a QC spot where they polished it to ensure it had reached the proper hardness during heat treating.

guess not hahahaha

 

[Sandwich]

Ok, I have the same frame and am going throught the same process. I have added a small shallow dent in my top tube and am wondering what they/I (can) use to fill it prior to PC. I've heard that bondo will crack during the PC process?

I've heard JB Weld before; is that my best choice?

Sandwich, I think we are on the same wave length. I looked new frames/bikes and I just can see anything that will bring me a significant upgrade, that would be worth the price. soooo, new 40, new PC, send shock back to Push for tune up and maybe new wheelset to try and drop weight, but that is low on the list. I did put a new set of bearings in it this spring and I can tell you it made a big difference.

Don't know on the "bondo options" but my "junk" is black...I don't know if that helps clarify what they used. It has a slight plastic sound to it, but it's not much different than the aluminum around it.

word on the update/upgrade. I need new headset bearings so I'm going to try slacker cups or the angleset. New frame bearings, and a push or avy tune. The only thing I don't really like about the frame is the shock rate, but supposedly a PUSH tune helps that out. Where are you getting it PCed? I'm still debating leaving it raw dawg but wouldn't mind throwing on some fresh paint.

 

[w00dy]

Raw dog it. Looks good, man.

 

[klunky]

Your frame is a taiwan built frame and not a factory.
Factory frames do not have the weld on the seattube that your frame does.

 

[Sandwich]

Your frame is a taiwan built frame and not a factory.
Factory frames do not have the weld on the seattube that your frame does.

i know...i could see that from the decals on it originally. The question was whether the WC was the same as the Factory, as suggested by page 1 of the sunday thread...but as Udi pointed out and SKC confirmed within the thread, the WC is comprised of the same tubez (6069) but welded in taiwan instead of the US....but I didn't know that about the seat tube weld, so thanks.

 

[Pegboy]

Don't know on the "bondo options" but my "junk" is black...I don't know if that helps clarify what they used. It has a slight plastic sound to it, but it's not much different than the aluminum around it.

word on the update/upgrade. I need new headset bearings so I'm going to try slacker cups or the angleset. New frame bearings, and a push or avy tune. The only thing I don't really like about the frame is the shock rate, but supposedly a PUSH tune helps that out. Where are you getting it PCed? I'm still debating leaving it raw dawg but wouldn't mind throwing on some fresh paint.

Yeah, I was also going with the angleset. The Push option makes the shock rate a non issue..I think you've read my view on that before. As far the PC, I think I am sending it out west, only because there is a specific color I think I want that I've seen from a western manufacturer.

 

[Sandwich]

Raw dog it. Looks good, man.

 

[Sandwich]

Yeah, I was also going with the angleset. The Push option makes the shock rate a non issue..I think you've read my view on that before. As far the PC, I think I am sending it out west, only because there is a specific color I think I want that I've seen from a western manufacturer.

yeah, I read your review which makes me want it! I'd prefer the avy since it's competitively cheaper and I've loved his products in the past...but it's hard to argue with PUSH's history with the DHX. What color are you going with? Light urple?

 

[MinorThreat]

I've heard JB Weld before; is that my best choice?[/QUOTEBetter than Bondo, since bondo is just a filler; JB Weld is epoxy with aluminum filings in it.